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Naylor first Canadian selected in 2018 MLB Draft

June 4, 2018

OTTAWA- Mississauga’s Noah Naylor became the first Canadian taken in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft when the Cleveland Indians used their first round pick, 29thoverall, to nab the Junior National Team product.

Naylor joins his brother, Josh, who was a Miami Marlins first rounder (12thoverall) in 2015, as the first Canadian brother duo to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft.

In addition to his brother, Noah joins a list of first round picks drafted directly out of the Junior National Team program that includes Scott Thorman (2000), Adam Loewen (2002), Phillippe Aumont (2007), Brett Lawrie (2008), Kellin Deglan (2010) and Mike Soroka (2015).

Naylor, 18, joined the Junior National Team program in the fall of 2015 as a 15-year-old and just last month participated in the team’s annual Dominican Summer League Camp. In 2017 he represented Canada at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup and collected All-Star Third Base honours while helping Canada to a fourth place finish. Reaching the final round of the MLB High School Home Run Derby in Miami and representing Canada in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field and the Perfect Game All-America Game at Petco Park highlighted his memorable 2017 season.

Naylor was the only Canadian selected on Day one of the draft that featured the first 78 selections. Rounds 3 -10 go Tuesday beginning at 1PM ET before the draft concludes on Wednesday with rounds 11-40 beginning at Noon ET.

Week of June 18, 2018

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